IFAW Accepted Into The IUCN

WASHINGTON, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) announces its acceptance into the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the preeminent membership Union, which provides public, private and non-governmental organizations with the knowledge and tools that enable human progress, economic development and nature conservation.

"As long time IUCN collaborators, we are honored to join the ranks of esteemed governments and NGOs to help shape conservation policy at the global level," said Azzedine Downes, President and CEO of IFAW. "We align with the IUCN mission and seek additional opportunities to learn from peers, share our expertise and collaborate on solutions that work for biodiversity conservation and for human wellbeing."

"Because so many species are under threat and their numbers are plummeting, the role individuals animals play in the recovery of populations can no longer be ignored," added Downes. "It is why ? as an organization ? we rescue, rehabilitate and release individual animals into secure habitats."

Downes continued: "Our organization will continue to build a network of experts who scientifically demonstrate how individuals play a key role in revitalizing threatened animal populations and engage communities on the frontlines to achieve positive benefits for animals and people."

"I am delighted to know that IFAW has at long last been welcomed into the IUCN fold," said Vivek Menon, Executive Director and CEO of the Wildlife Trust of India, Senior Advisor to the President and CEO of IFAW and Chair of the IUCN Asian Elephant Specialist Group (AsESG). "There is no place in conservation for isolating viewpoints and ideologies. Animal welfare ? if practiced rigorously ? is an essential prerequisite of forward thinking conservation."

IFAW's IUCN membership is effective immediately. For more information about IFAW, please visit www.IFAW.org.

About IFAW

Founded in 1969, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is a global non-profit organization that protects animals and the places they call home. With offices in 15 countries and projects in over 40, we rescue, rehabilitate and release animals into secure landscapes around the world. In collaboration with both governments and local communities, our experienced campaigners, legal and political experts, and internationally acclaimed scientists pioneer lasting solutions to some of the most pressing animal welfare and wildlife conservation issues of our time.

SOURCE International Fund for Animal Welfare